Friday, 19 June 2009

Open Farm Sunday 2009 at Lakeside Farm Park“Care about your food? We Do”

The day before was a washout with floods cutting some local farmers off!! Fortunately the day dawned and the rain stopped with an appearance of the sun which brought in about 350 people during the day.

This year we had “Ask a Young Farmer” and a big thank you to Llantrisant YFC for helping us. They were superb and answered lots of questions and were quite at home with the public. We called it revision for those with their GCSEs this year! Good luck for your exams everyone. Lyn and Rhidian also walked the nature trail with Lyn giving a full explanation of trees and plants on our farm along with their history. Russell is hoping some of the boy’s will be confident to shear next year as some of them have just passed their proficiency with the wool board. The public were very impressed with all of them commenting on their knowledge and manners.

The tractor and trailer rides started and the hourly rate went out of the window we had 7 jam packed trailer rides Russell had people queuing all day.Everyone saw the display of sheep, watched them being sheared, and lambs weighed and the comparison of birth weight to now. Back at Lakeside they were able to see our wool washed, Michelle gave us a great spinning demonstration and also brought some of her knitted products from our sheep.We had Cressida from Bridgend RDP and Helen from Glamorgan WFU pan frying our lamb chops and mincing lamb to make burgers we also were giving away cawl this was made from our lamb breast and the Abercerdin School food co op vegetable bag. They used the school’s fruit co op bag to make smoothies and fruit salad.Thanks to Julie and Geoff Thomas with their interactive Simply the Best Training display and doubling up into other jobs through out the day. Claire from Milestone activities and a member of Glamorgan WFU gave people a Nordic walking taster session through our recently harvested fields, Bridgend Farmers Market had a presence with neighbours Charles and Gill Morgan with Bethesda butter and welsh cheeses many thanks to them

Some of the Comments: “Very interesting and educational for the whole family”“Very interesting, Cawl excellent, kids really enjoyed themselves”“The staff have been brilliant any questions have been no trouble, very friendly & welcome. Very good range of animals and demonstrations from smoothie making to sheep shearing recommend this event!”

A huge thanks to everyone that participated and sponsored the day, we couldn’t have done it without the cooperation of friends, neighbours and family.Llantrisant YFCGlamorgan WFUSimply the Best training: www.simplythebesttc.co.uk Milestone activities: www.milestoneactivities.co.uk Michelle: www.woollywumpkins.co.uk Bridgend Farmers MarketBridgend RDP

Also thanks to LEAF for the support and resource pack, the seeds seemed the most popular this year. Lots more budding farmers! Open Farm Sunday 2010 -June 13th